Wiki update and plans

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Hi everyone!

We've known we need something wiki-like for quite a while.  Mitch noted 
the need in October, and then OSAF realized we didn't yet know enough to 
get started.  Before launching a wiki-style tool, we needed to figure 
out what type of wiki to use, and how OSAF would try to work with the 
wiki.  We've done some more work and here's our proposal.
*
*Style of wiki.**

Al and Morgan have evaluated the various wikis, and believe the twiki is 
the best choice for us right now.  It supports customization, HTML 
editing, and we've had good experiences with our internal test 
instance.  We'll be able to implement a twiki faster and more easily, 
and that's critical.   As to the other options, zwikis appeared to make 
it harder to do some basic functions, such as signing on new users and 
creating templates.  Wikipedia has its strengths, but its focus on the 
encyclopedia metaphor doesn't quite match our plans.

So we'll start with a twiki.  We know some will prefer another tool, but 
hopefully that preference can be assuaged by actually having +some+ tool 
to use.
*
*Working with the wiki.**

Our initial goals for the wiki include:

   Promoting collaborative development among community members; and
   Organizing input in such a way that OSAF staff can respond more 
efficiently.

We're not ready for anything as precise as the Zope fishbowl process, 
but we also hope the wiki will be something more than random postings.  
To do this, we plan the initial wiki to have two basic elements.  One is 
free form, where participants can develop various ways of working 
collaboratively and we'll all learn what works well.   We'll suggest a 
style guide and some basic conventions.  This area may be somewhat 
chaotic at first, but we anticipate that good ideas will emerge from the 
diversity.

The second element will be a more structured area, built on OSAF staff's 
initial guess as to how we can process information efficiently.  In this 
area, we'll create a Chandler Topic Schema.  This is a (hopefully) 
logical deconstruction of the Chandler project into constituent 
elements, which Chao is currently developing.  You should see an initial 
proposal from Chao shortly. We'll also provide some examples of the sort 
of information we'd hope to see posted in the various Topics, covering 
both subject matter and completeness of ideas, and using the proposed 
style guide and basic conventions.  The goal is that someone can go to a 
particular Topic, and get an idea of the status for that topic.  The 
status could include things such as the official "plan of record" if 
there is one, a description of current OSAF thinking, proposals for 
incorporating new ideas, etc,  pointers to relevant information, related 
APIs, etc. 
Ducky Sherwood has volunteered to help us get this information pulled 
together, and will be working closely with Chao and I.  In particular, 
Chao and Ducky will be working on examples of a few Topics this week, 
which we plan to post for feedback as soon as practical.  We'll also 
want to make some decisions about how we'll use this part of the wiki -- 
will we have formal editors, etc.  Having a few examples should be 
enormously helpful for this discussion.

Many thanks to everyone who made suggestions and prodded us to get 
started.  I won't name people individually because that approach almost 
invariably leaves someone out.  So I'll simply say that your input is 
greatly appreciated.

*Timeline and administrative topics*

Chao and Ducky will aim to post sample style guides and basic 
conventions early this week.  Once there's a basic consensus on these 
the free-form area will be implemented.  The structured area will take a 
bit longer.  Chao will post the proposed Chandler Topic Schema as soon 
as possible.  Chao and Ducky will create the examples described above, 
we can all think about how we might use this area of the wiki, and we'll 
go from there.

Our wiki will not require the use of CamelCaps.  Those who want to can 
use them, and those who don't can avoid them.   As to registration, it 
will be necessary to register once each session to edit or create 
documents.  It will be possible to register anonymously, using 
"GuestAccount" and "guest" as the password.  If your browser remembers 
passwords forever, you should only need to type the account and password 
info once.

Please let me know if this plan sounds workable. I'm sure it's not perfect.

Mitchell





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Hi everyone!<br>
<br>
We've known we need something wiki-like for quite a while.&nbsp; Mitch noted the
need in October, and then OSAF realized we didn't yet know enough to get
started.&nbsp; Before launching a wiki-style tool, we needed to figure out what
type of wiki to use, and how OSAF would try to work with the wiki.&nbsp; We've
done some more work and here's our proposal.<br>
<b><br>
*Style of wiki.*</b><br>
<br>
Al and Morgan have evaluated the various wikis, and believe the twiki is
the best choice for us right now.&nbsp; It supports customization, HTML editing,
and we've had good experiences with our internal test instance.&nbsp; We'll be
able to implement a twiki faster and more easily, and that's critical.&nbsp;&nbsp;
As to the other options, zwikis appeared to make it harder to do some basic
functions, such as signing on new users and creating templates.&nbsp; Wikipedia
has its strengths, but its focus on the encyclopedia metaphor doesn't quite
match our plans.<br>
<br>
So we'll start with a twiki.&nbsp; We know some will prefer another tool, but
hopefully that preference can be assuaged by actually having +some+ tool
to use. <br>
<b><br>
*Working with the wiki.*</b><br>
<br>
Our initial goals for the wiki include:<br>
<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp; Promoting collaborative development among community members; and<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp; Organizing input in such a way that OSAF staff can respond more efficiently.
<br>
<br>
We're not ready for anything as precise as the Zope fishbowl process, but
we also hope the wiki will be something more than random postings.&nbsp; To do
this, we plan the initial wiki to have two basic elements.&nbsp; One is free form,
where participants can develop various ways of working collaboratively and
we'll all learn what works well.&nbsp;&nbsp; We'll suggest a style guide and some basic
conventions.&nbsp; This area may be somewhat chaotic at first, but we anticipate
that good ideas will emerge from the diversity.<br>
<br>
The second element will be a more structured area, built on OSAF staff's
initial guess as to how we can process information efficiently.&nbsp; In this
area, we'll create a Chandler Topic Schema.&nbsp; This is a (hopefully) logical
deconstruction of the Chandler project into constituent elements, which Chao
is currently developing.&nbsp; You should see an initial proposal from Chao shortly.
We'll also provide some examples of the sort of information we'd hope to
see posted in the various Topics, covering both subject matter and completeness
of ideas, and using the proposed style guide and basic conventions.&nbsp; The
goal is that someone can go to a particular Topic, and get an idea of the
status for that topic.&nbsp; The status could include things such as the official
"plan of record" if there is one, a description of current OSAF thinking,
proposals for incorporating new ideas, etc,&nbsp; pointers to relevant information,
related APIs, etc.&nbsp; <br>
Ducky Sherwood has volunteered to help us get this information pulled together,
and will be working closely with Chao and I.&nbsp; In particular, Chao and Ducky
will be working on examples of a few Topics this week, which we plan to post
for feedback as soon as practical.&nbsp; We'll also want to make some decisions
about how we'll use this part of the wiki -- will we have formal editors,
etc.&nbsp; Having a few examples should be enormously helpful for this discussion.<br>
<br>
Many thanks to everyone who made suggestions and prodded us to get started.&nbsp;
I won't name people individually because that approach almost invariably
leaves someone out.&nbsp; So I'll simply say that your input is greatly appreciated.<br>
<br>
<b class="moz-txt-star"><span class="moz-txt-tag">*</span>Timeline and administrative
topics<span class="moz-txt-tag">*</span></b><br>
<br>
Chao and Ducky will aim to post sample style guides and basic conventions
early this week.&nbsp; Once there's a basic consensus on these the free-form area
will be implemented.&nbsp; The structured area will take a bit longer.&nbsp; Chao will
post the proposed Chandler Topic Schema as soon as possible.&nbsp; Chao and Ducky
will create the examples described above, we can all think about how we might
use this area of the wiki, and we'll go from there. <br>
<br>
Our wiki will not require the use of CamelCaps.&nbsp; Those who want to can use
them, and those who don't can avoid them.&nbsp;&nbsp; As to registration, it will be
necessary to register once each session to edit or create documents.&nbsp; It
will be possible to register anonymously, using "GuestAccount" and "guest"
as the password.&nbsp; If your browser remembers passwords forever, you should
only need to type the account and password info once.<br>
<br>
Please let me know if this plan sounds workable. I'm sure it's not perfect.<br>
<br>
Mitchell<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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